About the Owner
Steve W. Tedder worked with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for 37 years. He has a B.S. in Biology from Western Carolina University. After retiring from state government, he began working in the private sector.
During his years with the Division of Water Quality, Steve held several positions including; Water Quality Section Chief, Environmental Laboratory Director, liaison between the eight southeastern states in Region IV and EPA. For his last seven years he served as the Water Quality Regional Supervisor in the Winston Salem Regional Office that encompasses the 15 northwestern counties in North Carolina.
Beginning in the mid-seventies, Steve was very involved with the building of the State’s Water Quality Programs. During that time he was instrumental in the development of the State’s Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Program, the Aquatic Toxicology Program, the Biological Monitoring and Evaluation Program, as well as oversight and development of the Divisions Planning, Permitting and Compliance programs and activities. He was also Chair of the Training and Certification Commission for ten years and worked closely with the certification of hundreds of ORCs now operating and maintaining all of the wastewater treatment facilities in North Carolina. During his tenure, he led the development of a nationally recognized basinwide management program, oversaw implementation of water supply watershed protection rules, and initiated development of the State’s intensive livestock regulations. Steve spearheaded the state efforts to develop new stream classifications and management strategies for nutrient sensitive waters, high quality waters, and outstanding resources waters across North Carolina.
Steve was involved in many milestone developments within the Water Quality program. He also worked closely with the Environmental Management Commission, the NC State Legislature, many state and federal Agencies, and numerous local governments across North Carolina.
Being involved with so many aspects of the Water Quality Program, for so many years, has offered Steve a unique perspective and knowledge of the operations and functions of several state agencies. Tedderfarm Consulting was created to continue involvement in the planning and policy developments that directly affect the regulated community in North Carolina.
Steve has been awarded several recognitions to include:
Member of the NC Environmental Management Commission
Member of NC AWWA-WEA
Governor’s Outstanding Service Award
Southeastern Water Pollution Biologist Association Charter Member
Governor’s Award for Excellence
Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Environmental Protection Agency Award of Excellence
Special Recognition of Service from the Environmental Management Commission
Special Recognition of Service from the Division of Water
Special Recognition of Service from the Water Pollution Control Certification Commission
Division of Water Quality Vanguard Award
The following is taken directly from an anonymous member of the Division of Water Quality when recommending Steve for an award. This description hopefully provides some insight into Steve as a person, a supervisor, and one that has worked hard to protect the state’s natural resources, yet done so with a balanced, common sense approach to his efforts.
“Steve Tedder has likely meant more to this Division’s stated mission than any other single employee since its inception. In many instances his accomplishments have likely been better recognized on a regional or national level than within his own state. His two greatest qualities are a commitment to improve water quality in North Carolina and a lack of fear in realizing that to accomplish that goal, innovation and change might be necessary for accomplishment.
Change is hard for many to accept, yet hiring Steve initiated change within the Division. He was the first biologist in a world of regulatory engineers. With his employment came recognition that the surface waters of the state contained complex ecosystems that could be affected in measurable ways prior to catastrophic events such as fish kills. Standards and permit discharge limits needed to be adjusted to protect for all aquatic life rather than just what was obvious to us all. Recognizing the complexity in aquatic systems the Division began to hire biologists specializing in different trophic levels, and Steve recognized for this effort to be meaningful, the science derived had to be useful in supporting defensible management strategies. Other states were struggling with convincing management and legislators that waters are alive and the mix of aquatic organisms were important at maintaining a healthy and viable resource. To share knowledge on measuring biological integrity and incorporating those measurements into water quality programs, Steve and several others formed the Southeastern Water Pollution Biologist Association in 1976 and that organization continues to this day.
Steve took the concept of supplemental classifications to a new level protecting waters with specific problems with specific management strategies such as Nutrient Sensitive Waters, or protecting waters with demonstrated quality higher than minimum standards with classifications of High Quality Waters (HQW ) and Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). These classifications afford significant protection and his biological programs were very instrumental in identifying and supporting their protection. Steve’s development of the Water Supply Watershed Protection process is unparalleled in providing a higher level of protection where it is needed and allowing input from those most affected by controls and the drinking water users. Development of and acquiring Funding for a Wetland Protection Program was Steve’s vision followed with hard work to make it a reality.
Steve’s organizational and leadership skills are defined by the structure he created within the Water Quality Section when he was Chief. While many states flounder with poor communication or lack of common missions with their wasteload allocation programs, planning programs, enforcement programs permitting programs and assessment programs, Steve created an umbrella to look at water quality and its protection holistically.
Probably the largest and originally problematic change Steve offered to water quality protection was the basinwide planning process. There was a common agreement that events taking place throughout a watershed were important to understanding response downstream, but many questions as to how assessment, planning, permitting and enforcement activities could all be orchestrated within a combined process. Steve’s vision and direction not only made the process a reality for the Division but set the stage for its continued evolution and involvement of many agencies, affected industries, municipalities and the general public in each of our 17 river basins. The concept has now been accepted nationally and North Carolina continues to be viewed as a leader in this arena.
Steve has routinely met controversial challenges head-on and looked to build bridges where the chasm of dollars and environmental protection exist. His leadership is directly responsible for staffs who have worked hours far beyond what might be expected or required. His respect by the legislative community has been called on routinely to provide the large picture where pieces of the puzzle were being argued. He has always been dedicated to providing quality information to the Environmental Management Commission for major decisions. He has always encouraged staff to work closely with other agencies and with one another to achieve the stated mission of the program.”
Before leaving Wake County, Steve resided in Holly Springs for over 20 years. While there, he worked closely with the local administrators to lay the ground work to implement the infrastructure that aided in developing the small town into the growing metropolis is is today. In addition, Steve served as a Commissioner of the Town of Holly Springs.
Steve and his wife Katie live in Stokes County. Katie has recently retired after 25 years of service to the state of North Carolina. She currently serves on the Stokes County Board of Education. In addition to Tedderfarm Consulting, Steve enjoys about anything on his small farm that will get him outside to spend time with their pets Jack, Daisy, Stella, Jed, and their newest rescue, Roscoe. He also enjoys a round of golf whenever the chance avails itself.
Steve W. Tedder worked with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for 37 years. He has a B.S. in Biology from Western Carolina University. After retiring from state government, he began working in the private sector.
During his years with the Division of Water Quality, Steve held several positions including; Water Quality Section Chief, Environmental Laboratory Director, liaison between the eight southeastern states in Region IV and EPA. For his last seven years he served as the Water Quality Regional Supervisor in the Winston Salem Regional Office that encompasses the 15 northwestern counties in North Carolina.
Beginning in the mid-seventies, Steve was very involved with the building of the State’s Water Quality Programs. During that time he was instrumental in the development of the State’s Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Program, the Aquatic Toxicology Program, the Biological Monitoring and Evaluation Program, as well as oversight and development of the Divisions Planning, Permitting and Compliance programs and activities. He was also Chair of the Training and Certification Commission for ten years and worked closely with the certification of hundreds of ORCs now operating and maintaining all of the wastewater treatment facilities in North Carolina. During his tenure, he led the development of a nationally recognized basinwide management program, oversaw implementation of water supply watershed protection rules, and initiated development of the State’s intensive livestock regulations. Steve spearheaded the state efforts to develop new stream classifications and management strategies for nutrient sensitive waters, high quality waters, and outstanding resources waters across North Carolina.
Steve was involved in many milestone developments within the Water Quality program. He also worked closely with the Environmental Management Commission, the NC State Legislature, many state and federal Agencies, and numerous local governments across North Carolina.
Being involved with so many aspects of the Water Quality Program, for so many years, has offered Steve a unique perspective and knowledge of the operations and functions of several state agencies. Tedderfarm Consulting was created to continue involvement in the planning and policy developments that directly affect the regulated community in North Carolina.
Steve has been awarded several recognitions to include:
Member of the NC Environmental Management Commission
Member of NC AWWA-WEA
Governor’s Outstanding Service Award
Southeastern Water Pollution Biologist Association Charter Member
Governor’s Award for Excellence
Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Environmental Protection Agency Award of Excellence
Special Recognition of Service from the Environmental Management Commission
Special Recognition of Service from the Division of Water
Special Recognition of Service from the Water Pollution Control Certification Commission
Division of Water Quality Vanguard Award
The following is taken directly from an anonymous member of the Division of Water Quality when recommending Steve for an award. This description hopefully provides some insight into Steve as a person, a supervisor, and one that has worked hard to protect the state’s natural resources, yet done so with a balanced, common sense approach to his efforts.
“Steve Tedder has likely meant more to this Division’s stated mission than any other single employee since its inception. In many instances his accomplishments have likely been better recognized on a regional or national level than within his own state. His two greatest qualities are a commitment to improve water quality in North Carolina and a lack of fear in realizing that to accomplish that goal, innovation and change might be necessary for accomplishment.
Change is hard for many to accept, yet hiring Steve initiated change within the Division. He was the first biologist in a world of regulatory engineers. With his employment came recognition that the surface waters of the state contained complex ecosystems that could be affected in measurable ways prior to catastrophic events such as fish kills. Standards and permit discharge limits needed to be adjusted to protect for all aquatic life rather than just what was obvious to us all. Recognizing the complexity in aquatic systems the Division began to hire biologists specializing in different trophic levels, and Steve recognized for this effort to be meaningful, the science derived had to be useful in supporting defensible management strategies. Other states were struggling with convincing management and legislators that waters are alive and the mix of aquatic organisms were important at maintaining a healthy and viable resource. To share knowledge on measuring biological integrity and incorporating those measurements into water quality programs, Steve and several others formed the Southeastern Water Pollution Biologist Association in 1976 and that organization continues to this day.
Steve took the concept of supplemental classifications to a new level protecting waters with specific problems with specific management strategies such as Nutrient Sensitive Waters, or protecting waters with demonstrated quality higher than minimum standards with classifications of High Quality Waters (HQW ) and Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). These classifications afford significant protection and his biological programs were very instrumental in identifying and supporting their protection. Steve’s development of the Water Supply Watershed Protection process is unparalleled in providing a higher level of protection where it is needed and allowing input from those most affected by controls and the drinking water users. Development of and acquiring Funding for a Wetland Protection Program was Steve’s vision followed with hard work to make it a reality.
Steve’s organizational and leadership skills are defined by the structure he created within the Water Quality Section when he was Chief. While many states flounder with poor communication or lack of common missions with their wasteload allocation programs, planning programs, enforcement programs permitting programs and assessment programs, Steve created an umbrella to look at water quality and its protection holistically.
Probably the largest and originally problematic change Steve offered to water quality protection was the basinwide planning process. There was a common agreement that events taking place throughout a watershed were important to understanding response downstream, but many questions as to how assessment, planning, permitting and enforcement activities could all be orchestrated within a combined process. Steve’s vision and direction not only made the process a reality for the Division but set the stage for its continued evolution and involvement of many agencies, affected industries, municipalities and the general public in each of our 17 river basins. The concept has now been accepted nationally and North Carolina continues to be viewed as a leader in this arena.
Steve has routinely met controversial challenges head-on and looked to build bridges where the chasm of dollars and environmental protection exist. His leadership is directly responsible for staffs who have worked hours far beyond what might be expected or required. His respect by the legislative community has been called on routinely to provide the large picture where pieces of the puzzle were being argued. He has always been dedicated to providing quality information to the Environmental Management Commission for major decisions. He has always encouraged staff to work closely with other agencies and with one another to achieve the stated mission of the program.”
Before leaving Wake County, Steve resided in Holly Springs for over 20 years. While there, he worked closely with the local administrators to lay the ground work to implement the infrastructure that aided in developing the small town into the growing metropolis is is today. In addition, Steve served as a Commissioner of the Town of Holly Springs.
Steve and his wife Katie live in Stokes County. Katie has recently retired after 25 years of service to the state of North Carolina. She currently serves on the Stokes County Board of Education. In addition to Tedderfarm Consulting, Steve enjoys about anything on his small farm that will get him outside to spend time with their pets Jack, Daisy, Stella, Jed, and their newest rescue, Roscoe. He also enjoys a round of golf whenever the chance avails itself.